Citation

Haworth N, Delbosc A, Schramm A, Haslam N. Transp. Res. F Traffic Psychol. Behav. 2024; 105: 246-256.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.trf.2024.06.020

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Although riding a bicycle is an efficient, healthy and sustainable mode of travel, in low-cycling countries there continues to be negative attitudes, harassment and aggression toward riders. Recent studies have found that part of this hostility could be due to dehumanization - the belief that cyclists are lesser humans. These beliefs are relatively common, yet we don't yet know how we could reduce or counteract dehumanizing beliefs. In this paper we hypothesize that a 'humanizing' ad campaign may improve attitudes and reduce dehumanization relative to 'non-humanizing' campaigns. Using a survey of cyclists and non-cyclists in the Australian Capital Territory, in this study we developed four version of a static campaign poster, portraying cyclists either from in front (humanizing) or behind (non-humanizing), as a photo (humanizing) or graphic design (non-humanizing). We found that posters using photographs were more humanizing than graphic design, but design had no effect on attitudes. However, photographic posters were seen as less clear, memorable and effective than graphic posters. Showing cyclists from the front vs. the back had no significant effect on dehumanization, attitudes or effectiveness. This study suggests that if the aim of a campaign is to humanize cyclists, that photographic images may help with this effort. Given the high baseline rates of dehumanizing beliefs among the population, it would be counter-productive if safety campaigns failed to humanize this group.

Keywords

Advertising; Attitudes; Cycling; Dehumanization